Wardrobe Challenge Week 1: Intention + Identification
Standing in your closet in your undies again because you can’t find anything to wear?
Today is the day you start to clear the noise out of your closet and start on the path to identifying clear outfit choices that make you feel fantastic as you start your day.
This wardrobe challenge is for every woman.
It doesn’t matter if you have a McMansion luxury walk-in cloffice stuffed to the ceiling or a tiny apartment closet with wire racks.
You can find more clarity around your style and your clothes.
And if you repeat this challenge year after year? Your style and your understanding of your style get better every time.
Here are a few tools to make your organization and your wardrobe easier.
Your 1st Assignment: Your Intention
What do you want to get out of these 4 weeks?
- To feel like you’re being more intentional with your wardrobe dollars?
- To have more confidence about putting together an outfit?
- Do you want to express your creativity?
- Set an example for your kids by treating your body and style with care?
- Do you want to feel a sense of calm and peace when you walk into your closet?
- Maybe you want to update your style so that you feel more modern and polished?
The first step in the Fall 2023 Wardrobe Challenge is to set your intention.
My intention for these 4 weeks?
Fill the gaps in my wardrobe and elevate my clothing options.
My body changed substantially last year, so my fall and winter wardrobe is kind of thin. I only have a couple of sweaters, and I need more in-between style options. You know, not full-on business suits, but also not couch potato joggers.
How do gaps in my wardrobe show up?
It looks like walking into my closet to get dressed and realizing that I’ve reached for the same top 3 out of the last 7 days because I don’t have enough options for cute tops.
Or I’ve picked up a new outfit for the body I have today (not last year’s body), but I don’t have the right shoes or belt to complete the look.
Or, I have a cute outfit, but when I reach into the coat closet before dashing out the door, I only have a puffer jacket, when I know if I had a great vest, it would perfectly top my outfit and elevate the entire look.
Sigh.
Having gaps in your wardrobe can make getting dressed super-frustrating.
And in 2023 we are done with being frustrated with our clothes.
So, what do YOU want to accomplish with this challenge? Share your intention in our Facebook group and see what other women are sharing. You might be inspired or get a whole new idea!
Your 2nd Assignment: (Start to) Identify Your Style
What do you like about what other people wear?
Or what you see in a catalog?
Or even what’s hanging in your closet today?
Let’s figure it out!
Whenever I begin a style coaching appointment with a private client, one of the first things I ask her is “What makes you feel confident and beautiful?”.
I’ll ask her to build an inspiration mood board with photos of things that she loves and that catch her eye.
Now you’re going to do that same exercise.
This is a really important step in our challenge and builds the foundation for what you’ll do in future weeks, so don’t skip this task. (I mean it!)
Editing items out of your closet is crucial to the closet organizing that you’ll be doing later in the challenge. But if you don’t know what your style is or at least have some sort of a vision for the direction that you’re headed, then how are you going to know what to edit out?
Bonus, breaking down this piece of the puzzle will help to reduce that feeling of closet overwhelm that’s currently looping in the back of your brain. Pinky swear.
And yes, you have my full blessing to do this sitting on your couch with a jar of peanut butter and a spoon watching the latest episode of RHONY. (How do we feel about Jenna Lyons on this show? Let’s discuss.)
the Pinterest Exercise
Your steps for the Pinterest Exercise:
- Log into Pinterest
- Create a board called SG Style Collective Wardrobe Challenge
- Begin to search for and pin images of outfits or clothing pieces that you like
- Not sure where to start?
- In the Pinterest search bar, put in the name of your favorite retailer and pin any of the photos that they share that you like
- Search out your favorite movie, celebrity, or influencer, and pin photos that you like
- You can enter search terms like “classic style”, “minimalist style”, or (my favorite! “Paris girl style”
- To add photos to your Pinterest board from your favorite brands or websites, you can use the Pinterest Save Button.
- As you continue to pin photos, the Pinterest algorithm will begin to serve you up photos in the mood of what you’ve already pinned.
- Pin at least 30 images (You’ll thank me later!)
- Don’t worry if an outfit is in your best color palette, a particular size, or something that’s exactly right for your body shape. Just pin what you like!
- Not sure where to start?
- Share your Pinterest board in our Facebook group and pop in to see what others have pinned!
REALLY IMPORTANT ADVICE: Lose the word SHOULD from your vocabulary. I’m not asking you what you think you SHOULD be wearing.
- I’m asking you to think about what you like
- What feels good to you
- What gives you joy and confidence
Don’t get caught up in how you think you SHOULD be dressing. Get curious about what inspires you. You’re getting dressed to meet your day and your goals. That’s it.
❌ No “shoulding on yourself” allowed.
Pro-tip for this part of the challenge: Sometimes it helps to keep your focus small.
With the 2023 Wardrobe Challenge, let’s put the spotlight on your wardrobe for October – December of 2023.
That’s it. Just these 3 months.
I’m thinking now through Cooper’s winter break. The weather is getting cooler and you can look at your calendar to predict the types of clothes that you’ll need.
Just as if it was a delicious Mini-Oreo, take this bite-sized approach to thinking about your clothes and your style, and then you’ll want to continue to take bite after delicious bite.
(Real talk, stopping at 1 Mini-Oreo is hard.)
Now let’s get to it!
Questions or comments? You can drop them below or pop into our Facebook group and ask them there.
Always cheering you on!
Xoxo, 💋 Stephanie
